General Election

ARTICLES ABOUT GENERAL ELECTION BY DATE - PAGE 5

Along with the excitement of Pennsylvania's April 22 primary being center-stage in choosing the Democratic Party nominee for president will come a lot of responsibility ... and headaches too. The county officials and staff responsible for recording and counting the votes will be under a lot of pressure to do those things quickly and accurately. That's why a report issued earlier this year by Common Cause is troubling. The national good-government organization rated Pennsylvania one of 17 states at "high risk" for recording an inaccurate vote count.

By Sarah Fulton Special to The Morning Call - Freelance | March 9, 2008

North Whitehall Township is considering offering a voter referendum that, if approved, would allow the township to boost taxes to generate money to preserve open space. Township Supervisor Chairman Ron Stahley said he would like to draft a question to be offered on the November ballot. Voters would be asked to approve an earned income tax increase to generate money for preserving open space, woodland and farmland. Stahley was unsure of the specific words that would be in the referendum question.

The lone impediment to a November election showdown in Bucks County between the only Iraq War veteran in Congress and a retired U.S. Marine colonel whose son died fighting there last year has been removed. Joseph Montone, a conservative Republican from Falls Township, has dropped his race against GOP-endorsed candidate Tom Manion, whose son Travis was killed in action last year in Iraq. That leaves Manion, who was already heavily favored in the primary, unopposed for the Republican nomination, with a clear path to a battle against incumbent Democratic 8th District U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy.

Voters in Northampton County's 136th District could see a repeat of the 2006 election when they go to the polls this November. Democratic state Rep. Bob Freeman of Easton is seeking a 12th two-year term in office. Meanwhile, Republican businessman Ron Shegda, a write-in candidate who lost by a wide margin against Freeman two years ago, said he intends to run. Freeman, 51, announced his candidacy Monday afternoon. Shegda, also 51, of Hellertown, plans to make an official announcement at 8:45 a.m. Saturday at the Meadows in Hellertown.

I agree with the Dec. 7 editorial, "Mrs. Panto should reconsider her attempt to serve on Easton City Council," regarding Pamela Panto, the wife of Easton Mayor-elect Sal Panto Jr. Mrs. Panto should not serve in an appointed seat on a board chaired by her husband. Mrs. Panto had an opportunity to run in the General Election, but decided not to run for a reason: Voters would have been very uncomfortable electing an all-Panto slate, and this might have jeopardized her husband's bid for mayor.

Sometimes, politicians underestimate the voters' sophistication. In Lower Macungie Township and the City of Easton, voters made Tuesday's election a true exercise in democracy -- they decided what kind of government they wanted. And, they did it by figuring out some very complicated issues. When a former township supervisor was accused of stealing $2.5 million, a number of Lower Macungie residents formed The Lower Macungie Township Citizens for Change to push for a more accountable form of government.

Democratic Carbon County Coroner Bruce Nalesnik appeared to be on his way to a fourth term in office, according to incomplete and unofficial returns Tuesday. His opponent, political newcomer Republican Mark T. Walck, trailed. With 36 of 45 precincts reporting, Nalesnik was leading by 4,716 votes to Walck's 3,481 votes. "I'm pleased the voters are responding in a positive way," Nalesnik said. "I've run on my record and my performance for the past 12 years, and I feel that's really the message."